Les Luthiers: Madrigal & Dixie

Argentina at her best. Probably the finest group of musicians-humorists Argentina has ever produced.    

Les Luthiers, “The Fair and Graceful Maiden...” (La bella y graciosa moza..., 1977). Translated into the English language by Akermariano (Mariano Akerman).

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 [After a brief introduction of the “madrigal,” it becomes clear that the speaker, a supposed expert on the topic, has almost no idea of its lyrics. Whispering, he asks for a copy of them. “Here you have.”]

The fair and graceful maiden

Left town to do the laundry...

She soaked it, soaked it

Soaked it in the creek

And—singing—(she) washed it up.

(She) rubbed it on a stone,*

(She) hung it on a birch.*

After doing the laundry,

The girl went to the market...

A shepherd, a shepherd,

A shepherd was selling sheep,

Hollering loud,

“Look, what a sheep!

Look at the wool!  

Look what a beast, what an animal!”

The girl saw it too thin,

Nevertheless, she liked it.

“I’ll pay you twenty pence

And let’s argue no more.”

The girl returns singing

Very happy, with her sheep

As they arrived at the forest

The little sheep escaped

The girl in despair

Jumped on her

Swiftly and skillfully

She grasped her from behind.

[The sheets with the lyrics fall on the floor and mixed up]

Down the road was coming

A rider of proud poise

He rode down, rode down

Rode down his horse

And sang to the girl

“I’ll pay you twenty pence

And let’s argue no more.”

The girl blushed,

Looked aside

The rider, the rider

The rider in love

Gently got close to her

Soaked her in the creek

And—singing—washed her up.

The girl stepped back

And the rider, in a bold act,

Jumped on her

And grasped her from behind.

Seeing the maiden trembling

(He) rubbed her on a stone.*

When (he) was about to leave

(He) hanged her on a birch.*

No, no, no, no, no...

In pain, the girl sings...

“Look what a beast, what an animal!”

And (she) appears to be very sad...

Nevertheless, she liked it.  

* In the expression “La frotó sobre una piedra,” one doesn’t know who is performing the action, but may deduce this from the context.

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Les Luthiers, Lazy Daisy (1977), performed in 1995.

Traducida al castellano rioplatense por Akermariano como ‘Margarita haragana’ (1977); actuación de 1995.

 

Había un muchacho que un día se enamoró

Y su música solía sonar así

¡Uau-Uau!

...

Pero la dama era una cosa Haragana

Oh, ¡sí!

No le preocupó entonces el llamado

Oh, ¡no!

Ella sólo quiere alargarla

Ella nunca mueve un dedo

Así que esto es lo que él solía cantar:

Oh, ¡sí!

Sé mi Margarita Haragana

Sos mi pareja perfecta.

Sé mi Margarita Haragana

Sé mi mascota.

No seas jodida porque sos mi reina.

Dále, sacudíte.

Dejá las pálidas, ¿qué sentido tiene

Quedarte en la repisa?

Sé mi Margarita Haragana

Haciendo lo que hacés.

Estoy re-del tomate

sólo por vos.

Pero no te olvidés que tenemos que

Guardar tu estilo, estás OK,

Margarita Haragana mía.

...

No seas jodida porque sos mi reina.

Dále, sacudíte.

Dejá las pálidas, ¿qué sentido tiene

Quedarte en la repisa?

...

Pero no te olvidés que tenemos que

Guardar tu estilo, estás OK,

Margarita Haragana mía.

Sé mi Margarita Haragana

...

Guardar tu estilo, estás OK,

Margarita Haragana mía.

...

Margarita Haragana

Margarita Haragana

...

Pero no te olvidés que tenemos que

Guardar tu estilo, estás OK,

Margarita Haragana mía.

...

Margarita Haragana

Haragana, Haragana

Margarita mía.